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Back The Skies of Pern
Chapters (64)
  1. Other titles by Anne McCaffrey Published by Ballantine Books:
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  7. INTRODUCTION
  8. PROLOGUE
  9. At a Gather—6.15.30
  10. Part 1
  11. Turnover at Landing—1.1.31 Present Pass Aivas—Aivas Adjusted Turn 2553
  12. Benden Weyr—1.1.31
  13. Southern Hold—1.1.31
  14. Healer Hall—1.1.31
  15. Back at Landing—1.2.31
  16. Fort Hold—late night—1.1.31
  17. Fort Hold Runner Station—1.2.31
  18. Keroon Printer Hall—1.3.31
  19. Benden Weyr—midday—1.3.31
  20. Monaco Bay Weyr—five days later—1.8.31
  21. Part 2
  22. Ruatha Hold—local time 12:04 in the morning—1.9.31
  23. Telgar Weyr—local time 4:04 in the morning—1.9.31
  24. Benden Weyr—local time 6:04 in the morning—1.9.31
  25. Harper Hall—local time 1:00 in the morning—1.9.31
  26. Landing—local time 10:12 mid-morning—1.9.31
  27. In the Conference Room at Landing—1.9.31
  28. Monaco Weyr—10:22 in the morning—Timing it
  29. In the Conference Room at Landing—local time 1:10–1.9.31
  30. Sunrise Cliff Seahold—timed-back
  31. In the Conference Room—local time 2:12 at Landing—1.9.31
  32. Back at Landing—local time—3:40
  33. Harper Hall—5:00 in the morning, and Southern Hold—2:00 in the morning–1.9.31
  34. Landing—late afternoon—1.9.31
  35. Same time at Keroon Printer Hall—local time 11:15—1.9.31
  36. Later, on an unusually bright evening at Landing, Sunrise Cliff, and Honshu Hold—1.9.31
  37. Part 3
  38. Honshu—1.10.31
  39. Circle Runner Station—1.18.31
  40. Harper Hall
  41. Benden Weyr—
  42. Benini Hold—east Monaco and Honshu—1.20.31
  43. Harper Hall—1.28.31
  44. Honshu Hold—2.1.31
  45. Fort Hold—2.13.31
  46. Printer Hall at Wide Bay—same night
  47. Honshu Hold—2.9.31
  48. Night at Wide Bay—2.9.31
  49. Ruatha Hold—late evening—2.9.31
  50. Core Hold—two days before Council Meeting—2.26.31
  51. Part 4
  52. Honshu Weyrhold—2.26–27.31
  53. Council Meeting at Telgar Hold—3.1.31
  54. Honshu Weyrhold—3.01.31
  55. Interim at Benden and elsewhere
  56. Honshu Weyrhold—time passing slowly
  57. Landing—3.21.31
  58. Honshu Weyrhold—3.21.31
  59. Southern Hold—3.23.31
  60. Honshu Weyrhold—3.27.31
  61. Benden Weyr—3.27.31
  62. Cove Hold—same day, same approximate time
  63. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  64. What’s next on your reading list?

“Before I Impressed Talmanth,” Palla said, raising her hand, “I studied astronomy.”

“Why, so you did,” J’fery said, regarding his Weyrmate with surprise.

“An apprentice I was sorry to lose and would be delighted to encourage,” Erragon said, nodding acceptance of her shy offer.

Aware that everyone was looking at her, she ducked her head and stared at her clasped hands. Lessa noticed that J’fery bent to say something in her ear and she gave him a quick smile, relaxing her hands.

“That sounds like it will take a lot of time,” G’dened said, not sure he approved of such activity.

“Oh, it will,” Erragon had to agree. “With your assistance, we will have a splendid register to present the Council. Already we have Master Idarolan quite willing to move anywhere he can be of assistance, in teaching or watching. He reminds me that most Fishmen use the stars to navigate and he isn’t the only one who’s retired.”

“Which brings us back to making this sky watch efficient. What do you mean, Master Wansor, by twenty-four-hour coverage and another telescope?” F’lar asked.

“About time,” F’lessan said forcefully.

“We have Cove Hold, we have Honshu,” Erragon replied, “we need to site at least one of the Catherine Cave telescopes in the north as soon as possible.” Erragon coughed. “For a proper twenty-four-hour coverage, we should consider setting up the first observatory on the Western Continent.”

“There’s nothing there,” Lessa exclaimed.

“There are still stars above it,” F’lessan reminded her, then hastily added, “We can worry about how to improve the place later.”

“An observatory on the Western Continent must be established as soon as possible,” Erragon said firmly, prepared to argue that point.

“To allow us to confirm sightings with as much accuracy as possible, we must have one there, despite its distance from any other major population center,” Wansor said, bringing one hand down flat on the table. The noise startled everyone. Master Wansor was the mildest of men and his sudden insistence surprised G’dened and G’narish. “We must have one there or the sky watch can fail. Master Idarolan is of the firm opinion that a small settlement is feasible. He even suggests a sheltered harbor between the two halves of the western Continent and knows where clear water is available. Even some trees.”

“Really?” Lessa asked.

“Really,” Wansor said, nodding earnestly in her direction. “If we number dragonriders among the sky-watchers, establishing an observatory—even at such a distant point—will cause no great problem. They can be home daytimes, you see. It’s only the night they need to watch.”

His cheerful qualification caused several to grin; Palla and Mirrim turned chuckles into coughs.

“Then that’s one observatory settled,” he went on.

“But where will there be others?” K’van asked, still smiling as he leaned forward, a keen expression on his sun-tanned face.

Jaxom cleared his throat. “There’s an excellent spot for an observatory at Ruatha Hold. Near the Ice Lake, accessible enough. I am quite willing to cede it—and the tithes of any holds in the immediate area—to establish a wholly independent Star Hall.”